Bilateral mastectomy

Karen, our lovely Daina, BCNA online network coordinator has given you some great links especially the last one on the blog, "What has helped you through your journey?"There is also another one which Mich (a wonderful, inspiring woman from WA) posted recently that has brought a lot of us good feelings of hope and I hope it will for you too. It's called "What helps you when you are down or stressed" and here is that link.

http://www.bcna.org.au/user/8430/blog/70425

I hope we having overloaded you with too much information Karen. Please let us know if we can help further.

Janey xxx

Hi Karen,

I am glad you found your way here and it looks like the amazing women who make up the online network are already sharing their experiences and offering you support - I hope this helps to ease your worry!

As Hazel mentioned above, there are some really useful resources on our website. See some links I thought you would find helpful:

• You can download Fact sheets and Booklets from our website including a new resource for Partners - http://www.bcna.org.au/fact-sheets-and-booklets
• I am not sure how old your son is - but it might be worth looking at Canteen's website. They have a specific section for dealing with a parents diagnosis of cancer -- http://www.canteen.org.au/cancer-in-my-family/mum-or-dad-has-cancer/
• If your colleagues or friends have any questions you might find this booklet helpful - http://www.bcna.org.au/new-diagnosis/helping-friend-or-colleague-breast-cancer
• There is also a specific section on our website for surgery - http://www.bcna.org.au/new-diagnosis/treatment/surgery
• This is a blog post I always go back to - I think it has some really practical info straight from those who have been there - 'What has helped you through your journey': http://www.bcna.org.au/user/9176/blog/28978

I could go on, but I don't want to overwhelm you with too much information.

So, when you are really ask as many questions as you like and shout if you need a hand finding your way around.

~Daina

Hi again Just noticed your user name ends with 2259 If that happens to be your postcode my postcode is 2258 and I live at ourimbah and would be happy to meet up for a coffee and chat so let me know Mel :)

So sorry that you are facing this, but welcome to this network and I hope that there will be some ladies who have had bilateral mastectomies without immediate reconstruction who can tell you of their experiences. I had a left mastectomy due to a 3cm IDC and 3cm area of DCIS. Like you I was unable to have immediate reconstruction due to chemo and radiation being part of my required treatment. Firstly, it was my experience that it was surprisingly not that painful. I had some issues with swelling but was healed and able to start chemo within 3 weeks. My husband has been wonderful about it and we were all just glad that the cancer was gone and that with chemo etc there is every reason to think that that will be the end of it. I had my mastectomy in May and have finished chemo and radiation 2 months ago. I feel very well and am enjoying a new lease on life. Hazel is right that the absolute best advice is just to take it one step at a time. The most important thing is to do what needs to be done to get well and stay well. It is natural to worry about how your husband and son will handle things but I found my family just wanted to do all they could to support me. Letting them help helps them to cope with it all. This is one time when you just need to put yourself first. As Hazel has said, there are some great resources for partners available through BCNA. There is also some great info on how to handle things with children. Do you have your My Journey Kit yet? I hope that everything goes well with your surgery. Just remember that when you wake up, the cancer will be gone. Everything else will sort out. If you have questions as you go along, there are many ladies on here who will do their best to help you through everything. Let us know how you go. Take care. Deanne xxxx